Best Method For Sanding a Blade?

[JediMedic]

Just looking for some helpful tips. Any advice?

[FenderBender]

600 grit Sandpaper + Poly C + pretend you're Paganinni= Sanded blade

[Crystal Chambers]

I use a cordless drill with a wooden tip that fits in the blade. One person holds the drill, and the other hold the blade on it from the top with palm on the tip. Of course you need some work gloves for this. Then with the other hand you slowly sand top to bottom while the drill spins it. 400-600 grit seems to be highly recommended and worked well for me. Not sure which I prefer for grit. Probably 400 because the light texture has a nice effect. 600 doesn't leave visible lines and has a softer look. If I'm not mistaken the 400 brings more light to the outer edge of the tube.

Oh yeah and since we're talking about tips I like to slide my top hand off the tip to sand up over the tip.

[FenderBender]

Whoa. Gonna leave that one alone, as tempting as it is to make a juvenile joke

However, 600 does bring light out to the edge no problem and doesn't leave as many lines. Also, I don't like rotating the blade while sanding as it tends o leave a spiral pattern.

[Crystal Chambers]

lol

I don't like rotating the blade while sanding as it tends o leave a spiral pattern.

How else would you sand it? The only other way that would look decent is sand blasting maybe.

Only if you sand top to bottom too fast when it's spinning will you get a spiral. If you go slow you won't see any spiral, just fine lines around the blade. I tried the spiral thing and it doesn't look too good.

[FenderBender]

I use it like Im bowing a violin. I only rotate the blade at the end of a stroke so all the sanding is done top to bottom. I also usually do it before I put the tip on so the tip doesn't interfere.

[Shadar Al'Niende]

you can simply sand it by hand a section at a time, i started doing this with my thickwalled as an experiment, its a little time consuming but i agree with fender that its probably a little more easily obtained without the spiral effect happening.

[ArkaiHalon]

i've got alittle doohickey i made that attaches to my drill and the blade.

I actuallyuse two grits, 250 and 1000. the 250 helps replicate the diffuser film lines,and the 1000 softens it up and removes the spiral.

But sometimes, the spiral is a nice look to.

[Shadar Al'Niende]

i've got alittle doohickey i made that attaches to my drill and the blade.

I actuallyuse two grits, 250 and 1000. the 250 helps replicate the diffuser film lines,and the 1000 softens it up and removes the spiral.

But sometimes, the spiral is a nice look to.

pictures?

[JediMedic]

Thanks guys, I finished up my trans safety green poly C tube for my new lightsaber today. Used 400 grit and went slow, circumference wise along the blade versus up and down and achieved a really nice coring effect similar to Corbins Film. Then did the clear plastic wrap inside the tube for evenness. Very happy with it.